I have been a mom for over 25 years now.  Growing up I always looked forward to mother’s day and father’s day – a day when you shower that special parent with love and gifts and let them know they are appreciated.  (Even though they always act like they know everything.) Now as I am watching my own daughter mature and always make me so proud Mother’s Day doesn’t seem to have the same connotation it did when I was a kid.    She is good to me all year long and I couldn’t ask for more. So do I really need a day?  Nah…..but don’t tell my family because I love it when they take time out of their busy schedules to give mom hugs, the chance to see a movie she has been waiting to watch  and maybe some shopping.   So for those who celebrate Mother’s and Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day and annivers... 05/13/2017

 Cinco de Mayo is a holiday in celebration of the 1862 victory over France by the Mexican army at the Battle of Puebla.  In the United States May 5th has become quite a celebration of the Mexican – American culture with parties, parades & celebrations of all kinds across the nation.  It is a time to enjoy the food, music and culture of Mexico all day long.  Not to say you shouldn’t all year long!  Check out the video above for a previous Cinco de Mayo parade in New York City – one of the best places in the world to spend Cinco de Mayo! Orange County Restaurant Guide 05/05/2017

Approximately 40 years ago, a young couple found a house that many would have passed right by. It was dilapidated, and nearly unlivable. But they saw the beauty underneath the rough exterior, and decided to save that home from certain death.  In the years since then, that couple provided plenty of elbow grease and love to what was once a boarded-up building. They restored what they could, and improved upon what they could not. And now, nearly four decades later, the time has come to give her up to the next owner; hopefully someone who will love her as much as they have. 220 Dosen Rd in the town of Walkill is a 2000 square foot Victorian beauty built in 1897. She has original yellow pine hardwood floors, thick pocket doors, beautiful stained glass windows, two usable wells - one hand dug... 04/21/2016

If you are looking for a well maintained three bedroom ranch home with beautiful landscaping and lots of sunlight, all for less than $185K, look no further!  Come visit me this Sunday, June 7th, 2015, from 1-3pm at 9 Conning Avenue in Middletown, NY. This home is only missing one thing -- and that is YOU! Feel free to call me on 914-419-0270 if you have any questions.   06/04/2015

Photos by Debra Walsh, Copyright © 2015 Debra Walsh. All Rights Reserved. These photos may not be reproduced, used or transmitted without the express, written permission of Debra Walsh of Keller Williams Realty in Highland Mills, New York. If you would like to use an image please contact me directly. Thank you for not plagiarizing. 03/07/2015

  This morning when I logged on I saw my numbers were in a combination you don't see very often...maybe I should use these somehow in a Lotto ticket or a Pick 3.  This is the first time in a very long time that I have seen anything at all with my numbers that stuck out.   Like they say "Hey You Never Know!" How do you pick your numbers?                  02/19/2015

When I heard about Beverly Carter I was devastated on Thursday as we all were.  I had just taught our office safety class on Wednesday and came away from the class feeling good about all of the knowledge that was passed along. Then on Friday as we waited for news about Beverly I realized we could give 100 safety classes but if agents are not following certain fundamentals of basic safety you are already putting yourself at risk each and every day. The biggest defense in your personal safety is always TRUSTING YOUR GUT.  Your gut will give you clues you might otherwise never have noticed.  Never let embarrassment over that feeling in your gut stop you from backing away from a potentially dangerous situation.  Always have your clients come to the office first to meet you and to go over th... 09/30/2014

Facebook seems to be the topic of the week.  I first read Nathan Froelich's post 5 Reasons Agents Should Dump Their Facebook Business Pages and then Anita Clark's post Put On Your Tapping Shoes & Tap Into This Resource.   Facebook has over 1.3 BILLION USERS as of 2014.  This is supposedly active users.  Which leaves an unknown number of potential lurkers out there who could be looking every day but not posting a thing.  This is the largest amount of users on any social networking site by far. Wouldn't it make sense then to at least have a presence?  If you can fill in your office address, phone, web address etc...you can pretty much set up your business page.  Whether a Realtor or any other type of business you want to take advantage of the sites that are still free for you to use espec... 08/22/2014

77 PEACH PLACE MIDDLETOWN NY SHORT SALE     This 3 level townhouse has no HOA or Common Charges.  Three bedrooms with 2.5 baths and a basement that could be finished for more living space.  Just minutes from the Galleria Mall, Routes 17 & 84 and NJ transit.  Could be a great weekend get-a-way!  Just 45 minutes to NYC. MLS#  4427709                                 $145,000                                             1540 Sq Ft VIEW PICTURES OF THIS HOME VIEW HOMES FOR SALE IN MIDDLETOWN, NY 08/19/2014

ORANGE COUNTY FAIR July 17-27, 2014 DAILY The Orange County Fair is one of the oldest fairs in New York State having been held the first time in 1818.  This year will be the 174th anniversary of the Orange County Fair in Middletown, NY and will be open through Sunday July 27, 2014. Bring the family for the rides, good food, games, live music and the demo derby!  Friday night there will be Fireworks and don't forget to check out the antique Fire Trucks! For directions click here.   ORANGE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS845-343-4826100 CARPENTER AVENUEMIDDLETOWN NY  10940 07/23/2014

I was visiting with our own Ann Hayden when I took this picture from a rooftop.  New York City comes in all shapes and sizes!  What a view they had from where they were staying in New York.      Photos by Debra Walsh, Copyright © 2014 Debra Walsh. All Rights Reserved. These photos may not be reproduced, used or transmitted without the express, written permission of Debra Walsh of Keller Williams Realty in Highland Mills, New York. If you would like to use an image please contact me directly. Thank you for not plagiarizing.   07/20/2014

Bright and Spacious!  Perfect For A First Time Home Buyer! OverviewMapsPhotosDescriptionOpen House $102,000 Condominium Main Features 1 Bedroom1 Bathroom1 UnitInterior: 945 sqft Location 27 Jimal DriveMiddletown, NY 10940USA Debbie Walsh Keller Williams Realty(845) 928-8000debbiewalsh40@gmail.comhttp://www.viewhudsonvalleyhomes.com   Listed by: Keller Williams Realty Our recent listings Rio Dam Rd For SaleCommercial Building in Orange County NY383 Old Mountain Rd For SalePerfect For a Hunting Camp!Luxury Washingtonville Colonial For Sale! Subscribe to our listing feed Nearby properties for sale 07/14/2014

My husband came home Friday and said "Movies??"  Now first of all he never walks in the door from work and says that word, much less any word referring to going out when he has just come in from a long ride.  So I said W H Y ?  But I had a feeling....it was the release of the new Planet of the Apes Movie (and he is their biggest fan), Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.  I groaned because I hate those movies!  But he loves them and that is called compromise so off we went. WHAT A GREAT MOVIE!  Normally I don't like the originals because to put it bluntly I find them stupid and over violent with no real story.   This movie is perfect for the whole family except for maybe the younger ones who may have nightmares from angry apes who talk.  I absolutely loved the cast,  I thought Jason Clarke d... 07/12/2014

Today was my mammogram appointment.  An appointment I had been putting off (which you should never do!) because my last mammogram was such a horrible experience; for several reasons but mostly for the person who gave the mammogram but also because they found something on my mammogram. The person who did my mammogram last spring brought me to a room that was freezing.  When you are nervous you are already cold and being put into the cold makes things worse.  Why was I nervous? Any normal person would be nervous of course but for me each time I go it seems like I am on the countdown.  My mother had breast cancer, as did her mother and her mother before her.  My paternal grandmother also had breast cancer. So back to last years visit.  I was then asked to drop my gown so she could begin.  ... 07/11/2014

This morning I was up at 6 am and out the door soon after for my physical therapy appointment.  I drove 20 miles and walked in a few minutes early as I always am to any appointments I have.  When I gave my name I could see the look on the receptionist's face and she said " Your therapist has called in sick today."   Then it was "No one has had time to call you."   As she called to the back and said XX's appointment is here, I said that isn't even my therapist.  Come to find out not only did they bump my appointment to someone else (without telling me), that person called in sick. (and no one called to tell me) This brought to mind a post Maria Racelis wrote the other day called The Agent's Tone Makes Me Want To Sell The Home.  Needless to say I was upset as it was very early in the morn... 06/26/2014

Photos by Debra Walsh, Copyright © 2014 Debra Walsh. All Rights Reserved. These photos may not be reproduced, used or transmitted without the express, written permission of Debra Walsh of Keller Williams Realty in Highland Mills, New York. If you would like to use an image please contact me directly. Thank you for not plagiarizing.   06/16/2014

I saw an article this morning that got me a little agitated.  Realtor.com is again trying to help consumers pick the "agent experts" in each neighborhood.  They are going to change the way the profiles look (finally!) and help pick these "experts" by their work in the neighborhoods. They are going to try and validate the work in the neighborhoods by the solds (of course!) but also by a "check-in" method.  If you are familiar with Foursquare you already know how this works.  As someone who used to use Foursquare here and there, I kind of dropped off because in the areas I work in, I rarely get a good enough signal to be able to check in so to avoid the frustration I just stopped using it. If Realtor.com is going to use this as part of their "expert" program, as someone who has a full Rea... 05/16/2014

This week all over the tri-state area people have been seeing bears as it is the time for them to leave hibernation.  They are extremely hungry and cranky and they are headed for the available bird feeders and garbage.  To be extra careful all garbage should be kept in garages and garbage sheds and all bird feeders should be empty at this time.  Without these temptations bears will not be attracted to your property.  I have quite a few bird feeders myself and have kept them empty this week as the signs of bear mischief have been all around.  Click here to see the bears at a birdfeeder not far from me, for some reason it is not letting me embed the video.   04/18/2014

Where can you participate in pet nights with the Easter Bunny, attend a music and fashion event at Jennyfer, enjoy a special event at Build-a-Bear or buy Girl Scout cookies at a Girl Scout event?   Where can you select from one of 16 movies at a theater that offers Sony 4K digital 3D movies, sensory-friendly showings, senior days and students days? Or where you can order pizza, mozzarella sticks, curly fries, tenders, or coffee and Tazo tea?   Where can you eat at Johnny Rockets where the waiters and waitresses burst out in song and dance for no apparent reason at all? Where you get a smiley face in ketchup and funky straws?   Where can you dine at Ruby Tuesday, with a menu that includes bison burger, prime rib, lobster and other treats; Fuji Japanese Steakhouse with their entertaining ... 04/10/2014

The other day after a Realtor Tour I was with a new agent who heard about the “farm” near my house while we were on tour from one of the mortgage people.  We finished up slightly early so we ran by the farm before our next appointments so he could see this wonderful place with all of the animals I am always taking pictures of for my blog.     As we pulled up the Zebra was right up at the road which never happens.  He is always way back in the fields and very hard to see usually.  Of course I didn’t have my camera but was able to snap a few with my phone.  Beautiful! Photos by Debra Walsh, Copyright © 2014 Debra Walsh. All Rights Reserved. These photos may not be reproduced, used or transmitted without the express, written permission of Debra Walsh of Keller Williams Realty in Highland M... 04/06/2014